A long-time Iola school bus driver who passed last month will have a permanent place in school history.
Monday evening, after being petitioned by a group of students, the Iola school board voted unanimously to retire bus number 19, the number on the side of vehicle in which Larry Allen Garrett drove kids to school for 15 years.
Iola High student councilman Corey Taylor, with a half dozen classmates at his side, told the USD 257 board Garrett had achieved near-celebrity status among the student body and since his Dec. 29 death, an interest in honoring him in some way has grown on campus.
“Everybody’s known him for ages,” he said. “He’s like a legend around here. Everybody knew and loved him like he their own grandpa.”
Taylor, on behalf of the council, asked the board to retire bus number 19, as well as consider honoring Garrett with more
visible means. Patches on basketball uniforms or a commemorative plaque were suggestions he offered.
“He loved the basketball teams,” Taylor said.
Board member Buck Quincy agreed.
“I know a lot of times the money he made from bus driving went right back in to … the volleyball teams and the basketball teams. He really got attached to those kids,” he said. “I think anything that you people can do to perpetuate the thought and memory, and maybe inspire some other drives to do the same thing, would be wonderful.”
Superintendent of Schools Brian Pekarek said a commemorative plaque will be made and given to Garrett’s family. Any patches on athletic uniforms will have to be approved by the coaches of each team and paid for by the student council.
The number 19 was removed Tuesday from the bus Garrett drove, replaced with number 40.
Garrett was 80 years old.
